1. Why the Government's Kindergarten Guidelines Call Play "Learning"
A child spending all day playing tag might look to an adult like they are just having fun. However, the Kindergarten Education Guidelines position play as a voluntary activity that is "important learning" for developing a harmonious mind and body.[1] The guidelines emphasize that instruction should focus on teaching through play.
Regarding physical activity, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology created the "Guidelines for Physical Activity in Early Childhood" in 2012. It suggests that children aged 3 to 6 should engage in various types of play for a total of at least 60 minutes a day, moving their bodies in a fun way.[2] This 60 minutes is not a formal PE class; it is the total time spent moving throughout the day. It is not a standard for elementary school students.
So, what makes play "learning"? Interestingly, this has been studied not just in human children, but also in rats.
2. How Play With Peers Changed the Brains of Young Rats
Rat pups play by chasing and wrestling with each other. A study by Pellis and colleagues investigated the link between this play and the brain. According to the summary of the research, rats raised with play-loving peers during their young age showed changes in the prefrontal cortex of the brain.[3] Rats raised with adults, who play less, did not show these changes.[3]
What is interesting is the nature of the play. During wrestling, the roles of attacker and defender switch frequently. A hypothesis is introduced that this "switching of turns" may be important for the development of executive functions.[4]
However, this is an experiment on rats and includes hypotheses. We cannot directly apply this to human children and say, "If you don't play, this will happen." So, where do turns and patience appear in human children’s play?
3. How Children Make and Enforce Rules in Pretend Play
Imagine a child in pretend play who is carrying soup to a customer. They might want to run around, but they do not run while holding the soup because it would spill. No one has ordered them not to run. Yet, the child follows the rules they decided within their imaginary scene.
According to the ideas of psychologist Vygotsky, this requires adjusting immediate impulses, which is thought to be practice in self-control.[5] This concept is also introduced in research papers dealing with the relationship between pretend play and executive functions.
It is important to note that this is a theoretical explanation, not a proven cause-and-effect result from an experiment. Still, situations like switching the "it" role in tag or deciding roles in pretend play resemble the "switching of turns" seen in rats. The similarity lies in the nature of the situation, not in proven identical functions. So, how do medical professionals view play?
4. Why Pediatricians Say Play "Builds the Brain"
In 2018, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a clinical report on play. The authors, including Yogman, concluded that play enhances brain structure and function, develops executive functions (planning and self-control), and reduces the negative effects of stress.[6] The report recommends that pediatricians encourage play like a "prescription" during check-ups.[6]
The association’s educational materials also introduce a small experiment. In one study, 3- to 4-year-olds who were anxious about starting school played with teachers and friends for 15 minutes. They showed twice the level of stress relief compared to children who did not play.[6] Note that this is the result of one specific study.
National guidelines, rat experiments, and medical associations all view play not as "just passing time," but as something related to development. So, how does the world’s agreement treat play?
5. Why the Convention on the Rights of the Child Names Play a "Right"
Article 31 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child states that children have the right to rest, play, and participate in cultural and artistic activities.[7] Play is written not as a reward for finishing homework, but as a right children are born with.
The text cited here is a summary translation created by the Japanese Committee for UNICEF. While it is sometimes described as recognizing the right to engage in age-appropriate play and recreation, the exact wording of the official translation has not been confirmed in this article.[7]
National guidelines call play "learning," medical associations see it as "building the brain," and the treaty calls it a "right." While the perspectives differ slightly, they overlap in not treating play lightly. So, how should we view play?
6. How to Look at Your Own Play Through Turns, Rules, and Patience
Try to recall today’s play through the three lenses of "turns," "rules," and "patience." How did you switch who was "it" in tag? Who decided the roles and rules in pretend play? Were there moments where you waited a little to accommodate others?
For example, think about when you waited for your turn to be "it," or when you waited for your desired role to be assigned in a game. If you want to check the original sources, the Ministry of Education’s Kindergarten Education Guidelines and Guidelines for Physical Activity in Early Childhood are available on their official website. A summary translation of Article 31 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child is available from the Japanese Committee for UNICEF. You can verify the ideas of "learning," "brain," and "rights" with your own eyes.